US updates visa system for Colombians

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The United States Embassy in Bogota said Tuesday that it will implement a new system for non-immigrant visa requests, put into play September 28.

According to the headquarters, those who are interested in applying for a visa can do so via a new web system or with the help of an operator via a new call center line. The new system eliminates the need for a Personal Identification Number (PIN) that was previously necessary for applicants to schedule their visa interview with the embassy.

“We are pleased to announce the coming operation of the new visa system that is designed to make the visa request process faster, simpler, and less expensive. This change represents another major alliance with Colombia and we are confident that it will facilitate the visa application process for Colombians,” assured U.S. Consulate General in Colombia, Raymond Baca.

The new system will be available in both English and Spanish, and allow web users to choose the most convenient date and hour for their visa appointment, change or cancel appointments, coordinate the delivery of their passport and visa to any of the 20 DHL-authorized offices located in nine Colombian cities (or be sent to a home address for a small fee), and pay for their visa application with a debit or credit card (although cash payment is still available for those who prefer).

Overall, Colombian non-immigrant visa applicants will be able to reduce their time spent at the U.S Embassy for their interview and processing, and save money because of the PIN elimination and free passport and visa recollection at designated locations.

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